Telescoping case coupling members



Oct. V19;v 1937. G. l.. EBI-:R

TELESCQPING CASE COUPLING MEMBERS Filed April 22, 1933 GEoRGfZS Z55/P A TTORN u 1| www L W H/l 710111111 l 0 WIJ. y. E "E7/ ....u.. E 7

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 gUNITED sTATEs PATENT CFFICE 2 Claims.

the object of the invention is to provide retaining or securing members of the class described which rare relatively thin and flat in construction to permit their mounting in connection with the cover of the ycase to retain the same substantially invisible, thus producing a neat and finished appearance and eliminating the objectionable bulk of protruding members of kthis class as commonly employed; a furtherobject being to provide a novel method of moving the latching pawl or othery device into operative and inoperative positions to control the opening and closing of the case and retaining the casein closed position, said means involving a longitudinal, slidable bar actuated by a hinged member disposed at one end yof the bar; a further object being to provide hinge members at the forward side of the case in the form of hasps retained in connection with the case proper by suitable latching and locking means and also including tensional means for moving the same in extended position when released from thel latching or locking means; a

. further object being to, provide a double hinge or pivot construction for the coupling members at the bottornof thecase to ypermit the separation of the cover and case proper andthe mounting of both of said parts on a surface in the operation of packing the same; astill Yfurther object being to provide the bottom of the ycover proper with a short wall structure facilitating the swinging opening movement of the kcoverwlien both case and cover are in their freely closed position; and with Vthese and other objects inV view, the invention consists in a case andsecuring means therefor, which is 1 simple in construction, efficientin use, and which is v constructed ashereinafter morefully described f and claimed.

ing "the cover of the case extended in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a face and sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 3, detached.

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. G is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a section through one of the bottom coupling members employed.

Fig. 7 is a partial section on the line I-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a partial section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

For the purpose of illustrating one method of carrying my invention into elfect, I have indicated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing a suitcase structure consisting of a bottom case proper I0 and a, cover II, the latter having a narrower back` wall IIa than the side and front walls IIb as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing to facilitate the swinging opening movement of the cover when the same is in its fully closed position as seen in Fig. 2. The case parts I0 and II are of the usual or any preferred form and construction, and preferably include outer facings Illa and IIc respectively. At I2, I have shown a handle on the upper surface of the part II, by means of which the case may be carried, and centrally of the upper wall of the cover II and countersunk in the inner surface thereof is a channel I3 in which a dove-.tailed or T-shaped lug I 4 is slidably mounted so as to key adjacent surfaces of the case I0 and cover II together to prevent separation thereof when a lled Case is carried by the handle I2. On the'upper wall of the case I 0 adjacent the ends thereof, are combination latch and lock devices I5, I5L of conventional form to receive the hasps I6 of my improved coupling and latching devices I1 employed on the upper wall of the cover II. As these devices I'I are both of the same construction, the brief description of one will apply to the other. Other coupling and latching devices I8 are disposed at the bottom of the case in alinement with the devices II, and as the devices I8 are of similar construction, the brief description of one will apply to both.

Each of the devices I'l consists of a tubular casing I9 countersunk in and secured to the upper wall of the cover II, the inner surface of the casing being flanged as seen at ISa, note Fig. 5, to reinforce the wall structure of the cover and also to provide for the attachment. At this time, it will also be noted that the facing with respect tothe case AI Ij.,.rthe,,tee th )20.throw-V llc of the cover Il passes over and conceals the casing I9.

The inner wall of theV casing I9 is provided with` longitudinally spaced and inwardly projecting teeth 20 adapted to be engaged by a' pawl or other stop member 2I pivoted as seen at 22 in a tubular plunger 23, which ts and slides freely in the casing I9, and this plunger forms part of the coupling element. of the device. A spring 24 is mounted on the pivot of the pawl 2l andserves tonormally force the pawljn the direction of the teeth'20 through an opening 25 formed in the plunger 23. The hasp I3V is pivoted in the outer en d portion of the plungerv 23 as seen at 26, and includesfafspring `2"! 'which normally serves to move the hasp outwardly with respect tothe latch and lock device i5, I`5a,-or in other words, is held under tension finsaid device, and when Vreleased will automatically spring outwardly, in which operation, a lug .'28

on thepivot end of the haspy and engagingan aperture 29'in a release .barl ,serves 5toinOVe said bar downwardly'or outwardly with respect to the plunger, causinggthe pawl 2I-t' o.bemoved ing the pawlv inwardlyagainst the `action `of `the spring in this movementfbut anylupward ,movement of*z the Ycover jl I with respect yto the YCase 'Iis checked-'or -stoppedby said pawl. It will also-be seen ythat the front wall of theplunger 23 has-an elongated aperture .32 with which a screw or pin r330m the casing vI9 operatesto limit the outward movement of the. plungerV with respectl to said casing. The hasp' I6 .has a U-shaped portion I6a receiving the latchan'd lock bolt I5?)` of the latch or lock devices I5, 15a, note Fig.'3 of the drawing.

-By mounting thedevices Il in `the upper Wall Y ofthe cover Il in the `manner describedit will Vappear that the casings I9 arenot visible, thus 'producing a neat and finished appearance, Vand g furthermore, placing the ,coupling plunger `in 55H more'or less direct alinement with .the latching and locking members I5, |511 employed, produc-l ing-.the `most effective results, A`and at the 'same' time, a strong and practical construction with-V out inclusion of excessive bulk of' protruding bodies or members as in devicesof vthis 4class of conventional form. K

`While the casing I9 and plunger 23 .are shown comparativelythick, lit'will also be apparent that these plungers maybe constructed relatively thin and still carry out 'the functions dei-ined.V Furthermore, the .use of the flat tubular structures produces strong coupling members, as will be apparent. i

The devices IS consist ofl casing 34 substantially similar to the vcasin'gs |9 .eXcept that the ilanges ISct'are removed and the casings 34 are fitted in and movable inliners .3.5 secured in. and tothe bottom walls ofthecover II as clearly seen in Fig.' 7 of the. drawing.l The liners .35

serve to .reinforce the .bottom wallsofthegozllel.'

where the opening is formed therein for the casings 34, and also to'provide' a denite-socket 36 in which the casing 34 is movably supported, Y the latter being pivoted in Vthe upper end of the j liner as indicated at 3? in'Figs. 2 and' 7 in order `5 to permit the outward swinging movement of the casing 34 with respect to Vthe liner to permit the movement of the cover II into the position` indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Slidably mounted on the casing 34 is a tubular plunger;V 10 38 substantially Vsimilar tothe plunger 23 and including a pawl 39 similar to the pawl 2l op y erating in connection with longitudinally spaced Y teeth or projections 4I! on the inner surface ofV the-*back wall -of :the casing 341,'the pawl passing .'15

through an aperture 4I in the plunger 38 and lthrough an aperture 42 in a bar 43 which controlsthe Voperation oi thepawl 3S the same asV the bar il.k The plunger 38 1nas'in'its front wall Y ari-elongated aperture 44 similar to the aperture 20 32 in connection with which ascrew ,or lpin 45' on thegcasing 34, op erates to Vlimit the outward Amovementof thejplunger.

`'Ihe devices I8 instead of .including on its plunger ahasp such as'.|6,ihas ythe, plunger 38 25' ,directly pivoted'toa supporting block 4B as. seen at 41. VThe block 146 isv securedk to thelbottom wallof` the case I' and-theV lower end'of theV bar or rod 43 includes .an offset portion having lan aperture 48 adapted to receive a 1ugf45pressed 10 frompthe Wallf of thefblock vcasing so thatin I fthe outward swinging movement ofthe complete cover on the pivot'41, the lug 49 will enterthe Y Y l aperture 48 and engage thebar to drawfthebar downwardly or in'the directionof'the'wpivot 47, 35

which movement will v'release the pawl 3.9`from' the teeth "40 asindicated in dotted linesin Figgf to permitthe vfree movement of .the casing 134 outwardly on theV plunger 38'into the i position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.'A it' will be fx:40 understoodA that as the cover is again swung upwardly on ritspivot -41 aswell as on the pivotV Y V31, the` bar-'43 is again moved upwardly, thus releasing the'pawl 39 to rpermit its movement into engagement 'with the teeth 40 to effect the,45 same lockingor latching principleV as the pawl. 2l in moving the l'co-ver Il into its fully closed position and in compressing articles of Fapparel or the like back inlthe case.

' It will beV seen thatrthe casing 34 is alsoV dis-50 posedV in 4alinement with the ,wall structure vof i the cover II, and in the-structure shown the cas# ing 34 Vis not covered with theouter'facingto permit' the outward lswinging movement of this casing'with respect to the bottom' wall of 'the55f cover, and if this movement should not be dei sired or deemed necessary, the casing 34 should `be mounted directly in the cover wall structure in the same manner as the' mounting vvof the cas-V ing I9, and this form of construction couldbe, ,60

.carried out inY some -type of-casing construction where the element of lpackingis not an important factor. v 1 Y A 'Y It will be understoodthat while' I haveV shown my invention as applied to a casey of specificorje65l 1. A coupling device of the class described comprising a casing tubular in cross sectional form throughout its length, a tubular plunger I'ltting snugly in the casing and slidable longitudinally thereof, the casing being secured to one support, one end of the plunger normally projecting from the casing and having means fory coupling the plunger to another support and movable relatively to the first support, stop elements spaced longitudinally of one wall of the casing, a latch member pivotally mounted within said plunger at the inner end thereof and movable transversely through an opening in one Wall of the plunger into operative engagement with said elements to prevent relative movement of the plunger in the casing in one direction, and a bar mounted in and movable longitudinally of the plunger and in operative engagement with the coupling means of the plunger for engaging said latch member and moving said member into inoperative position to permit relative movement of the plunger in the casing in both directions.

2. External hasp and hinge fastenings of the extensible kind for luggage, comprising in combination ank elongated casing provided With a line of ratchet teeth and xed to the lid of the luggage, an elongated slide telescopically fitting the casing, a coupling member movably mounted on the slide, a spring-pressed paWl movable with the slide and disposed at the inner end thereof and pivoted in relation to the ratchet teeth so that while engaging said teeth strain tending to extend the fastenings puts the paWl in compression between its nose and its point of pivoting thereby to maintain the engagement of the pawl with said teeth, said pawl being Without positive connection to the coupling member, and a hinged member at the outer end of the slide operative on the coupling member for disengagement of the pawl.

GEORGE L. EBER. 

